Daddy's Girl
by samanddianefan10
Summary: Starr comes back to town with a six year old Hope in tow. At a school function Todd's patience is tested as Starr helps him realize that letting go isn't as bad as he thinks it is-almost.


Starr Manning had finally decided to go back to college back in Llanview after being away for four years. She felt awkward at first being older and being a single mom but she really wanted to make her family proud. Besides, Hope had just turned six and was starting kindergarten, and Starr really wanted to settle her in into a nice school, and Llanview was the perfect place for a family. Well, not perfect, but it was home for her. It was crazy, but the older she got the more she found herself missing her own twisted family.

She decided to surprise her mom and dad one day in late summer. Blair and Todd and Sam were out on the back porch having a barbecue when Starr and Hope walked in. Hope ran up to Blair.

"Ne-na!" she cried to the delight of everyone, especially Blair who swept her up into her arms.

"Hi honey. Look at you, you're getting so big! You're just in time for the cookout. Pa-pa Todd will throw a hot dog on the grill for you, would you like that?"

Todd looked at her and then grinned. "Peanut..I can make you anything you want. Would you like a hot dog?"

"Yes!" she laughed as she hid behind Blair's arms and everyone laughed.

"Shorty. When were you going to tell us about your trip?" Todd asked as he made his way over to the grill.

"I wasn't. I thought I'd surprise you. I hope that's okay."

"You know you two are welcome here anytime honey," Blair kissed Hope as she sat her down. "How long..how long are you here for? Not that it matters, you know you can stay as long as you'd like!"

"I was hoping you'd say that," Starr smiled. "Because we kind of decided to move back."

That got Todd's attention. "You what? I told you Blair that they'd be back. I knew it."

"You did not. You were freaking out from the time she said she was going to leave. Remember the time after they left you sat down and cried? I remember that. So don't tell me that you knew they were coming back, mister," Blair teased as she kissed her husband.

"Ew," Hope said as she covered her eyes.

"No honey it's a good thing. A very good thing," Starr reassured her daughter. She thought back to when she was Hope's age and some of the battles between her parents that she had witnessed and she would gladly have her daughter see this instead.

"So Mom, Dad, is it all right if we stay here for a little bit until we find our own place? I swear it won't be that long."

"You can stay here forever as far as I'm concerned," Todd muttered.

"Well I do plan on getting married and having more kids someday. I can't exactly do that with you around. You're kind of a buzzkill for my dates. Sorry Dad."

"Good. You have plenty of time to worry about more kids. I don't even want to hear that kind of talk from you young lady."

"Dad, I'm growing up. I'm thinking about these things. You can't treat me like I'm a kid anymore."

"Well you're my kid and that means you're special. Don't forget it."

"How can I?" Starr walked over and half hugged her father. It had been too long.

"Mommy, the dance." Hope spoke up.

"What's this?"

"Oh yeah. I already got Hope registered for school, I didn't think you would mind. But in the calendar they gave us there is a father-daughter dance schedule and, well, you know Cole obviously can't be there. So Hope asked if you would go with us."

"Me, at a school function? Do you really think that's a good idea?" Todd asked skeptically.

"Come on. Do it for Hope. For Peanut. Do it for me. You'll be fine. You haven't done anything crazy lately, not that I know about anyways. It'll be fun. You might even be able to save a dance or two for me," Starr prodded.

Blair spoke up. "Come on. I think it's a wonderful idea. Do it for Hope. She hasn't seen you in a few months and it will be a wonderful opportunity to get reacquainted. You'll be fine. I know you can do this."

He looked at his wife, then finally nodded his head. "Okay but I'm not baking brownies or any of that sh…stuff."

Starr laughed. "You'll be fine. Now how about those hot dogs?"

00000

It was the night of the dance, and Todd felt as awkward as he thought he would. He definitely did not fit in with all of these fathers, he thought as he nervously played with his tie. He hated those things, but he wanted to look good for his girls, so Blair convinced him to don one. He got some looks, but after a while he realized he really didn't care- he had his family back. He had everything that he ever wanted, so let them all stare.

Hope was too shy to dance, so Starr smiled and found Hope's friend. "Can she stay with you for a second Lizzie?"

"Sure!" She said and her father agreed.

"Come on Dad," Starr said as an old school song came on. Starr took the lead in taking her father out to the dance floor.

"I remember hearing this when I was just a kid," she smiled.

"You still are a kid. What are you talking about ?" Todd laughed.

"Dad, when are you going to face the fact I'm not a little girl anymore? My child is now in school. You're going to have to let me grow up."

"I don't have to let you do anything."

"Dad!"

He didn't say anything, but as they looked over at Hope they noticed a little boy talking to her. Starr knew her father well enough to know that this bothered him, so she turned him around.

"Relax Dad. They're six. How much harm can they do?"

"Plenty. I was six once you know."

"That's a scary thought."

"I don't like him. Why does he have to talk to Peanut for?"

"Hope. Just for tonight can you call her Hope?"

"What do you want from me Starr? I get that you're growing up but now you're asking me to accept that she is too. That I cannot do."

"She's not the same little toddler that I left to Los Angeles with. She's a big girl now. You're going to have to get to know her all over again. But think about how much fun that will be. I know how much fun I had with you growing up," Starr smiled.

"Really? I wasn't too bad?"

"No. You were actually pretty cool. And Hope thinks so too. You just have to let us be us. Can you do that?"

"I can try. I'm not promising anything. But I'm watching that kid."

Starr laughed before leaning in to hug her dad. Then the song ended and she made her way over to her daughter. He would do anything for those girls, Dani, Jack and Blair as well. But there was something special about Starr and Hope..he couldn't explain it. He knew he didn't deserve a relationship with them, but he had them, and he would fight to the end to keep them. He felt sorry for the boy who ever messed with Hope. He didn't even want to think about that day. Thankfully she turned her back on that boy and went back to Lizzie, which definitely made him feel better, at least for the moment. Yes, it was good to have his family back.

The end 


End file.
